Os contratos de crédito ao consumo e o sobreendividamento dos consumidores

Dissertação de mestrado em Direito dos Contratos e da Empresa

Contratação Pública Verde: work in progress

Dissertação de mestrado em Direito Administrativo

Impact performance prediction of injection-molded talc-filled polypropylene through thermomechanical environment assessment

Due to the fact that different injection molding conditions tailor the mechanical response of the thermoplastic material, such effect must be considered earlier in the product development process. The existing approaches implemented in different commercial software solutions are very limited in their capabilities to estimate the influence of processing conditions on the mechanical properties. Thus, the accuracy of predictive simulations could be improved. In this study, we demonstrate how to establish straightforward processing-impact property relationships of talc-filled injection-molded polypropylene disc-shaped parts by assessing the thermomechanical environment (TME). To investigate the relationship between impact properties and the key operative variables (flow rate, melt and mold temperature, and holding pressure), the design of experiments approach was applied to systematically vary the TME of molded samples. The TME is characterized on computer flow simulation outputsanddefined bytwo thermomechanical indices (TMI): the cooling index (CI; associated to the core features) and the thermo-stress index (TSI; related to the skin features). The TMI methodology coupled to an integrated simulation program has been developed as a tool to predict the impact response. The dynamic impact properties (peak force, peak energy, and puncture energy) were evaluated using instrumented falling weight impact tests and were all found to be similarly affected by the imposed TME. The most important molding parameters affecting the impact properties were found to be the processing temperatures (melt andmold). CI revealed greater importance for the impact response than TSI. The developed integrative tool provided truthful predictions for the envisaged impact properties.

Alcohol sponsored events: the impact on attitudes and intentions, and the mitigating impact of persuasion knowledge

Doctor of Philosophy in Marketing and Strategy

Towards "green" smart materials for force and strain sensors: The case of polyaniline

Stress/strain sensors constitute a class of devices with a global ever-growing market thanks to their use in many fields of modern life. They are typically constituted by thin metal foils deposited on flexible supports. However, the low inherent resistivity and limited flexibility of their constituents make them inadequate for several applications, such as measuring large movements in robotic systems and biological tissues. As an alternative to the traditional compounds, in the present work we will show the advantages to employ a smart material, polyaniline (PANI), prepared by an innovative environmentally friendly route, for force/strain sensor applications wherein simple processing, environmental friendliness and sensitivity are particularly required.

Aspergilli and Penicillia related to the surface of ripening italian grana type cheese and its ripening environment

Information available on the mycoflora associated to ripening Italian “grana type” cheese is very poor. Recently, ochratoxin A (OTA) was detected in samples of packed grated cheese [1]; therefore, the need of information to perform a risk management was highlighted. Moreover, sterigmatocystin (STC) has been reported in cheese and it is considered an emerging problem. Despite the fact that both of them are mycotoxins included in group 2B by IARC [2,3], no European regulation exists. So, the main goal of this work is to give for the first time a general overview about Penicillia and Aspergilli growing on the surface of ripening “grana type” cheese, with particular attention on mycotoxigenic species. To perform this, in 2013 and 2014 crust samples were scratched from ripening grana cheese wheels and also Potato Dextrose Agar plates were exposed to monitor ripening house air. Then, 140 fungal isolates were randomly chosen, purified and monosporic colonies were obtained for their identification at specie level. A polyphasic approach is followed, based on morphological characterisation, toxic extrolites profiling and gene sequencing. The identification is still in progress, but the first results based on the morphological approach showed the presence of mycotoxigenic Aspergilli (Aspergillus flavus and A. versicolor) and various Penicillium species; among them Penicillium chrysogenum, P. implicatum and P. solitum were identified. Only P. chrysogenum was reported to produce the mycotoxins cyclopiazonic acid (CPA) and roquefortine-C (ROQ-C) [4]. These results will be presented and discussed. [1] A. Biancardi, R. Piro, G. Galaverna, C. Dall’Asta, "A simple and reliable liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry method for determination of ochratoxin A in hard cheese" International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition 64 (5), 2013, 632 – 640. [2] International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) “IARC Monographs on the Evaluation of Carcinogenic Risks to Humans” 31, 1983, 191 – 199. [3] International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) “IARC Monographs on the Evaluation of carcinogenic Risks to Humans”, suppl. 7, 1987, 72. [4] J. I. Pitt, D. A. Hocking, “Fungi and Food Spoilage” 1997, 291.

Impacto do azoto no processo de soldadura reflow

Dissertação de mestrado em Engenharia Industrial (área de especialização em Qualidade, Segurança e Manutenção)

Sustentabilidade no Design: uma abordagem aos resíduos limpos das indústrias do calçado

Dissertação de mestrado em Design e Marketing

Numerical modeling and assessment of the thermal environment in an industrial premise of automotive components

Dissertação de mestrado em Engenharia Industrial

Jovens e culturas cívicas: por entre formas de consumo noticioso e de participação

(Excerto) Há um sentimento generalizado não apenas hoje, mas em vários momentos históricos, que dissocia os jovens do interesse de participar em sociedade e dos temas de atualidade política, em especial os que são divulgados pelas notícias e media tradicionais. É recorrente a ideia de que é importante fazer aumentar a participação juvenil e o interesse dos jovens pelo mundo que os rodeia. Os jovens, ouve-se, deveriam ser mais ativos, interventivos e preocupados com as questões políticas e sociais. Isso, diz-se, seria bom para a autoconstrução deles mesmos, mas também para a evolução da democracia, para assegurar um futuro. Jovens, jornalismo e participação parecem, assim, não combinar. Então, o que se pode retirar de uma investigação que se centra nessas três importantes componentes societais? Ao longo de quase cinco anos de preparação e de execução da investigação, que agora colocamos sob a forma de livro, foram vários os contextos, mais ou menos formais, mais ou menos académicos, mais ou menos interessados em que a investigação foi falada, discutida, contestada, bem acolhida. Certo é que muitos dos comentários e perguntas revelavam alguma perplexidade face à escolha do tema, dando reflexo a algumas ideias pré-concebidas sobre os jovens que identificamos atrás: Os jovens não querem saber de participar, o que interessa isso? Jornalismo e jovens... já ninguém quer saber do jornalismo, muito menos os jovens, eles só querem saber das redes sociais e da internet. A televisão continua a ser relevante para os jovens? Pois... as entrevistas já têm uns meses, se fossem feitas agora era completamente diferente, é só internet! Queres saber se os jovens participam mais ou menos? Já sabemos que participam menos. . . qual a relevância?

Social entrepreneurship: does institutional environment make a difference?

The purpose of this paper is to contribute to a better understanding of the link between social entrepreneurs and institutional environment in Portugal. A quantitative approach is used in the study, and primary data were collected through an online survey. A questionnaire was emailed to, both, Portuguese Non-Governmental organizations and projects available on the Portuguese social stock exchange. In the analysis of the data were used descriptive statistics, factorial analysis and t-student tests to validate (or not) the research hypotheses. The results show that a favorable institutional environment has a low importance in the decision to develop social initiatives. This conclusion supports the idea that many social entrepreneurs can emerge even in developing regions where the institutional environment is weak. Therefore, social entrepreneurship could be an instrument of regional development and contribute to attenuate the social and economic differences among Portuguese regions.

Estudo da logística do armazenamento e distribuição interna de consumíveis clínicos de uma unidade hospitalar

Dissertação de mestrado em Engenharia Industrial

Análise comparativa do consumo de biomassa para fins energéticos

Dissertação de mestrado integrado em Engenharia Mecânica

Economia da cibercultura: Ciber-consumo na sociedade do risco

Consumo em comunidades virtuais e sociedade do risco (risk society). Consumo e media cross-over: Cibercultura do consumo; Estatísticas dos mercados e consumo globais; Padronização e personalização; Fição ciberpunk; Os novos consumidores. Risco: Vigilância e marketing online; Subvertisements; Motores de busca personalizados; Jogos online; Second Life e Linden Dollar; Sociedade de risco: Ulrich Beck; Espaço cibernético; Riscos diretos e indiretos; Riscos técnico e humano.

Avaliação da sustentabilidade de soluções construtivas para a reabilitação da envolvente exterior dos edifícios

Dissertação de mestrado Internacional em Sustentabilidade do Ambiente Construído